NC Budget Highlights

Late Tuesday night, appointed legislators drew up an agreed budget. Since the House and Senate budgets were drastically different, appointed legislators were designated with the task of merging the two budgets. The budget was released to the public Wednesday evening.

What will happen from here? Both the House and the Senate have to vote on the budget on Thursday (June 21st). From here, it is sent to the Governor. She has 10 days to sign or veto the budget since legislators are still in session. If she vetoes the bill, the House and Senate has to get enough votes to override it. If they do not, the budget passed last session will remain in place. We will keep you posted on what happens.

Budget Highlights:

– Child Welfare Collaborative remained in ‘full’ funding at $754,115
– Includes money for ADAP- AIDS Drug Assistance Program Pilot- this was included in the House but not in the Senate and ended up in the final.
– Addition of 5 Military Counselors in Onslow and Cumberland Counties was eliminated.
– Foster Care – $6.67M recurring cut from the Foster Care program.– Community Services Funding – $20M nonrecurring cut.
– 45 community hospital beds – $9M in recurring funds for additional beds. This funding will only be released if the OSBM certifies that funding isn’t needed for the Medicaid program.
– No Funding for the Eugenics Compensation program.
– $2.7M in nonrecurring funds for smoking prevention and cessation- needed $17.3M to continue efforts.
– Elimination of the state appropriations for the Housing Trust Fund.
– Provides $212 million to partially fund the projected enrollment growth in the number of people eligible for Medicaid
– Anticipates $59 million in savings through Community Care of North Carolina
– Changes the eligibility criteria for personal care services and reduces appropriation by $6 million
– Provides for $10.3 million to plan to transition individuals with severe mental illness to community living arrangements and temporary assistance in the amount of $39.7 million to adult care and group homes they transition individuals to community placements (similar to House budget in total dollars, provisions similar to Senate budget)
– Includes the House’s proposal of Reports by Non-State Entities receiving state dollars. These programs include Senior Games, Oxford House, ARC of NC, and others.
– Special provision- the Department of Health and Human Services shall not reduce Medicaid provider payment rates or Medicaid optional services.
– Original provision to block state funding for Planned Parenthood. All family planning services are moved to public health departments and they cannot contract with PP for these services.